Chasing the Phantom
by Fan of the Phantom
Summary: How far will Raoul go to save Christine from the Phantom's lair? How hard will both men fight for the love of their "Angel of Music"? Find out how the struggle and the romance will play out in the ultimate clash within the love triangle.
1. The Begining of the End

**Disclaimer & Author's note: I soooo wish I that I owned The Phantom of the Opera, but (sad to say) I do not. Now I will begin my story with a little story _within_ the story. Enjoy!**

**Chasing the Phantom**

**I ducked behind an old broken down building and walked through a dark alley. As I hurried through, I carried a big black folder holding the papers that could change the face of humankind. One of the sheets started falling out of the folder and I had to stop to put it back in. Then I continued running.**

**My hands were shaking by the time I finally reached my destination. I knocked on the mahogany door and, sure enough, my friend Kristen was there. She asked me, "Do you have them?"**

**I nodded and broke out into a wide grin. I came inside and couldn't contain my excitement anymore.**

"**I can't believe I actually got the original script!"**

"**I feel so geeky yet awesome at the same time! We're just two overzealous nerds who managed to steal the original edited libretto of the Phaaaaaantom of the Opera…"**

"…**is here, inside my miiiiiiiind."**

**Yes, we were two American geeks living in London. Our "day job" was the scientific study of futuristic devices such as light sabers, (I know, nerdy right?) rocket powered shoes, and, of course, a time machine.**

**Okay, maybe the original copy of the Phantom of the Opera can't change the entire face of humankind, but if it was altered or destroyed, I know some "Phan" faces that would be changed forever. It took us almost two years to both build a fully, functioning time machine and also figure out a master plan to steal The Phantom of the Opera libretto from Andrew Lloyd Webber's mansion, Sydmonton. I wound up going to the estate during the preview of the sequel to "The Phantom" and slipped in with a large group of invited guests. Eventually, I found the safe holding the original manuscript with Kristen's aid. Together, we managed to figure out the combination and the rest is history.**

"**Is the time machine ready, Kristen?" I asked her.**

"**Aye-aye, captain! Ready to time travel when you are! Back to the future, uh, I mean the past!"**

**I couldn't help but chuckle. "Yes, but first things first, I still need to change the end of _The_ _Phantom_."**

**Kristen froze, turned around and snatched the libretto from my grasp. She yelled at me as we walked into the lab. "What?! You had a long taxi ride back here! I thought you would've done that by now!"**

"**Okay, I procrastinated." Kristen gave me an impatient look. "You know, all I really have to do is change some of the lines on the last page of the script so the story comes to an end-forever. No chance for any sequels to emerge. MUAHAHAHAHAAA!"**

"**Oh, speaking of sequels, did you catch anything form the preview?" Kristen asked me.**

"**Well, I caught a couple of snippets before I left. Something tells me that the characters wouldn't get themselves into those kinds of situations. It just doesn't feel like _The_ _Phantom of the Opera_."**

**Kristen started to go off on me again. "Well, it's not _The Phantom_. It's the sequel. You know how many great works have a sequel or more that insult the original masterpiece. That is precisely why-"**

"…**why we have to alter the script and bring it back in time before the first performance ever occurred. So, fan-no-phan's lives won't be torn to pieces from the tragedy of a mediocre musical that is supposed to be the official sequel to the phaaaaaaantom of the opera is theeeere…"**

"…**inside my miiiind." Kristen finished the phrase, adding a hint of vibrato. "This is why you need to change the script, now!"**

**I sighed, knowing I couldn't procrastinate any longer. "All right, let me have the libretto back." As I toward our study, I told Kristen, "Just give me fifteen minutes, and I'll have the alternate ending ready for you."**

**After fifteen minutes of plotting and writing, I came up with the perfect ending. I presented my work to Kristen who gave me a curt nod.**

"**Hmm."**

"**What?"**

"**The ending is good-no worries-but I'm kind of disappointed."**

**I asked her, "What do you mean?"**

"**I expected better of you. I mean, this is your chance to change anything that you don't like about the musical. Surely there's something else you'd like to change."**

**I considered what she just said. There _was _a part in the play that I felt that could be altered to my liking.**

"**I'll give you until tomorrow to think about it. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to watch _The Phantom of the Opera_."**

"**Usually, I would jump at the chance to watch _The Phantom_. However, I had made my decision already, and that excited me even more than watching _The Phantom_. While Kristen searched for the DVD in our living room, I sat down at my desk and began to write…**

*******

Christine sat in her dimly lit dressing room distressing over her current dilemma. In two hours time, she would be performing Don Juan, a dark opera written by the Phantom, himself. Knowing how the phantom was _devoted _to Christine, he probably had a scheme in mind to win her over. Christine shivered just thinking about him and his dark, cold lair below the theater.

On the other hand, her fiancé, Raoul, had a plan to capture the Phantom. Members of the local police were to be stationed throughout the theater during the show. Then, when Raoul gave the signal, the police would open fire on the Phantom ridding the theater of its menacing ghost-forever.

Christine knew that Raoul's intentions were for the best. After all, the Phantom acted like he owned her. His enchanting voice and disfigured spirit haunted her nightmares. If the masked murderer lived in the world outside of the opera house, he would have been arrested (maybe even executed!) for his evil actions. However, part of Christine did not want the life of her Angel of Music to end.

Her mysterious angel had been singing to her ever since she first came to the opera house. After her father died, Christine's soul was filled with sorrow and her beautiful voice had no heart in it anymore. That all changed after she heard that eerie yet enchanting voice.

The Phantom had captured her wildest dreams every night when he sang to her. It was almost as if he was hypnotizing Christine with his mysterious melodies. Thanks to the Phantom, Christine sang with her heart and soul for others to hear on stage. Also, through the Phantom's work, she was going to star in an opera again. _His_ opera…

As Christine sat thinking about it, a tear rolled down her cheek. She loved Raoul and respected his decisions, but how could she forget about the Phantom? It was undeniable. Christine deeply cared for both of them.

Breaking into her silent reflection, someone rapped on the door. Christine called, "Come in."

Meg entered the dressing room and slowly shut the door behind her. She betrayed no emotions as she walked toward Christine. However, Christine knew what Meg was thinking.

Meg asked her, "Are you frightened?"

Christine couldn't hold it in any longer. She burst into tears. Meg hurried over to Christine and held her tightly.

"I don't know what to do!" Christine cried in between sobs.

Meg tried to console her as best as she could. "Oh, Christine, you'll do great tonight! Everything will turn out alright."

"No it won't!" Christine exclaimed, "He won't give up until he has me in his grasp! He'll probably even kill Raoul if he's desperate!"

Meg asked her, "Do you believe that Raoul's plan will work?"

Christine answered, "I hope not! I mean, I know that this needs to end soon, but I can't bear the thought of soldiers-" She burst into another fit of sobs and Meg gently rubbed Christine's back.

"So, you can't decide between the two of them?"

Christine stopped crying just long enough to say, "What?"

Meg gave Christine a minute to take a couple of deep breaths. She said, "Don't think I don't know how you feel about him. You told me yourself that he was you 'Angel of Music'. He helped you become who you are today and the phantom has been with you all these years." Meg paused for a moment. "It must be terribly difficult to even imagine leaving him behind."

Christine detached herself from Meg's embrace. "It is." She said, "I think I will go to the chapel."

"And pray to your Angel of Music?" Meg asked.

Christine was silent for several moments before she answered, "No, this is one time I cannot ask my Angel of Music for guidance."

Then, without saying a word, Christine rose from her seat and walked out of the dressing room, leaving Meg sitting in silence.

A/N: I know that my story within the story was longer than the main story itself. I'm sorry if that bugs anyone. I don't think that will happen in any later chapters. This is my first story so please review!


	2. In the Chapel

Disclaimer & Author's note: Like I said in my first chapter, I do not own Phantom of the Opera (or any of the music). If I did, I would change the ending to suit me, like I'm pretty much doing right now. Also like last time, I will begin with my story _within_ the story. Another thing to note: The phrases that are italicized are actual song lyrics from The Phantom. (Now, Andrew Lloyd Webber can't sue me! MUAHAHAHAAA!)

**Chasing the Phantom**

I was writing my revisions when, all of a sudden, a huge gush of wind blew in and swept the _Phantom_ papers off the table! I yelled, "Kristen, did you leave the windows open again?!"

She answered, "Yes, wh-" She walked into the room and saw the chaos of papers. "Oh, crap!" Kristen exclaimed. Immediately, we set out to recover the flying run-away papers, which had scattered throughout the apartment. All the while, we shouted back and forth when we managed to find some of the script.

"Here are some papers in the kitchen!"

"I got a few sheets here!"

"There's some going into the time machine!"

The chaos continued until we finally realized it would make things a lot easier if we shut the windows first. (And we're supposed to be scientists. What a blonde moment!)

Eventually, all of the sheets were gathered together and laid back on my desk. Both Kristen and I were exhausted from our efforts.

Kristen asked me, "So, you're still changing _The Phantom_?"

"Yep," I told her, "I'm showing people Christine's indecision towards Raoul and the Phantom. I'm also making it harder for her to choose between the two of them. Cue the evil laugh."

"He, he, heee! You like being evil, don't you?" Kristen asked me.

"Yes, very much so," I replied.

"Well, I'll let you keep working." Kristen happily skipped back to the living room.

After hearing Kristen curse about forgetting to pause the movie, I immediately began to write again.

It wasn't too long before my ears picked up another noise, this time, coming from the lab.

I put my pen down and decided to investigate.

As I walked into the lab, the noise became more distinct. I tried to pinpoint the exact location where the voice was coming from and I realized that it was inside the time machine. After I pushed some buttons, and turned some knobs, the shiny, metal doors opened with a hiss and I peered inside. Low and behold, a man dressed in an expensive suit stepped out of the time machine.

"Pardon me," the man inquired, "But could you tell me where I am and how to get back to Paris? My love, Christine, is in grave danger and I need to save her!"

I gasped. This man was Raoul. Not Steve Barton from the original cast or Patrick Wilson from the movie, but the actual Raoul! I was temporarily speechless!

Then, almost at once, I conceived a brilliant idea. I wouldn't let Raoul go back to the opera house…not yet, anyways. I told Raoul, "Certainly, Vicomte Raoul. You are in twenty-first century London, but I can bring you back to the opera house in a blink of an eye. I just need you to answer some questions for me."

"Can you actually do that? That would be marv-Wait a minute!" Raoul paused for a second. "How do you know my name and know that I was just at an opera house?"

I grinned and thought to myself, "If only he knew…"

***

Once inside the chapel, Christine lit a candle for her father and began to pray. "Father, I need your guidance. I am engaged to Raoul, yet I cannot stop thinking about my Angel of Music." Tears were forming as she continued, "I don't want his life to end this way, but I know Raoul is doing all he can to protect me and the other people in the opera house. Both of them have been dear to me and I…I'm not sure-" The tears flowed freely down Christine's beautiful face. She could not help but weep again.

In the midst of her sobs, Christine heard the door of the chapel open and close. Almost immediately after that, Christine felt Raoul's warm arms around her waist, pulling her closer to him.

"Are you alright, Christine?" Raoul asked her.

Christine sniffled and shook her head. Raoul held Christine even tighter and gave her a tiny kiss on her cheek. Christine let out a sigh of temporary relief from her sorrow.

"_I'm here, with you, beside you, to guard you and to guide you._ Don't worry, Christine. I'll protect you."

After what seemed like an eternity in Raoul's embrace, Christine's tears finally ceased to flow.

"Oh, Raoul, I don't know if I can do this!" Christine exclaimed.

Raoul tried to soothe her troubles. "I know you'll give a wonderful performance tonight. You don't need to worry about that. I think I know what's really bothering you, though." Raoul paused for a moment. "It's _him_, isn't it?"

Christine felt that she was going to burst into tears again, but, surprisingly, she held them in. However, Christine was so distraught that she couldn't say her answer out loud. She nodded her head to show Raoul that the Phantom _was_ her main concern.

Raoul sighed and said, "I knew it. He's the cause of all of our fiascos. It's unfortunate that we can't predict when he will strike. Even though we know that he's doing all of this for you…" Raoul paused for a moment, "…we can't tell what he intends to do."

While in Raoul's embrace, Christine turned her torso so she faced him. Her eyes glistened with trapped tears as she told him, "He _wants_ me. The Phantom wants me to live with him forever. Once he has me, he won't ever let me go!" Christine involuntarily shuddered from that prospect.

"At first, he seemed to be the Angel of Music that my father told me about. However, after the Phantom took me to his dark, cold lair I saw who he really was."

Out of curiosity Raoul asked her, "Who do you think he is? Do you know his name?"

Christine answered, "I still don't know what his name is, but he doesn't need a name. I know who and what he is."

"What do you mean?"

"He's a genius who isn't understood outside of the opera house. He's also afraid to venture out of the opera house because of his deformity. Because the world treated him with cruelty he has a vengeful spirit that strikes without warning. The Phantom's wrath is what frightens me the most."

Raoul gave Christine another small kiss on the cheek and gently broke their embrace. He told Christine, "Well, I think the man is ludicrous. After all, he's been cooped in here practically his whole life. At least, that's what Madame Giry told me. You can't expect anyone who's been holed up in one place for years at a time to be completely sane. I bet those childhood years in the traveling fair turned him-"

"What? He was in a fair?" Christine inquired, "Did Madame Giry tell you that as well?"

"Yes," Raoul answered, "Madame Giry said he was part of their freak show until she helped him escape."

"Oh, that's terrible!" Christine exclaimed, "I can't imagine how he could take people staring and laughing at his deformed face! He must have had no one to help him until Madame Giry came along."

Raoul said, "I agree. Though you were practically all alone when your father died, weren't you? It tore at my heart after you went to live in the theater." He pulled Christine into another hug.

"I felt so desolate back then." Christine was silent for a moment before she continued, "Besides you, Madame Giry, and Meg, the only comfort I had was the Phantom's music."

Both Christine and Raoul became silent. The tension seemed to last for ages. Eventually, Raoul was the first to speak.

"Is that why you can't forget about him?" he asked Christine.

She answered, "Yes, he's still my Angel of Music. No matter how twisted his soul may be."

Raoul asked her, "Do you love him?"

Christine pulled herself out of the embrace just a little so she could look into Raoul's eyes. She took a few moments to carefully think about her response. Finally, Christine told Raoul, "I do love him, but not the same way that I love you."

"And as I love you," Raoul said.

The two gazed into each other's eyes with adoration. Then, almost instantly, the distraught lovers leaned closer to each other until their faces met in a passionate kiss.

Unfortunately, it wasn't long before their moment of romance was interrupted by someone entering the chapel. Raoul and Christine broke away from their kiss just as Madame Giry walked into the room.

"Christine," Madame Giry called, "You need to get dressed. A crowd is already coming into the theater."

Raoul looked at Christine and nodded his head. "I'll be in my box watching everything." Christine and Raoul rose up from where they had been kneeling and started walking towards the door. "I'll be ready for his appearance. He won't get away with this."

Christine gave a sorrowful sigh as they all walked through the doorway. Both Madame Giry and Raoul turned to give Christine a sympathetic look.

"Something has to be done, Christine. I'm sorry."

"Believe me, I don't want his life to pass now either, but I don't think we have any other choice, dear." Madame Giry said.

Christine said, "I know. I just wish that it would end some other way."

Before Christine knew it, Raoul held her hand in his. He told her, "My dear, whatever happens, I'll be there for you." He tenderly kissed Christine on her lips before he let her go. "Now break a leg! I'll be watching over you."

As Christine left with Madame Giry, she couldn't help but feel hopeless. If Raoul's plan worked, her Angel of Music would be lost forever. However, a deep pocket of Christine's soul felt that Raoul's scheme wouldn't work.

"He _is_ the Phantom after all," she thought, "If anyone can evade capture, it would be him."

A/N: First of all, I just want to say thank you to everyone who read and reviewed the first chapter. I'm glad that a lot of you like the story so far! Secondly, I'm going to be on vacation for the next two weeks so I will not be posting any new chapters during that time. I will try to answer any reviews and PMs that I may receive during the first week, but don't count on anything being answered during the second week until I get back. Thirdly, I'm sorry Fiesta that I didn't answer your review. The site wouldn't let me reply to it! Finally, thank you all again and I will try to write some more while I'm on vacation.


	3. The Point of No Return

**Disclaimer & Author's note: Once again, I will tell you that I do NOT own anything from the Phantom of the Opera. (However, the revisions are my idea.) As Ellie Nocua has informed me, the musical is Copyrighted Property of Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber and the original book is Copyrighted Property of the Estate of Gaston Leroux. Thanks Ellie! Now, I will remind you that any italicized phrases are actual song lyrics or speaking lines from Phantom of the Opera. So, without further rambling about copyrights, I will begin to type up the story_ within_ the story. (Pause for deep breath.) Sorry it took so long to write!**

Chasing the Phantom

As I continued to write my alternations, an impatient Raoul sighed out of exasperation.

"Excuse me," Raoul said, I don't mean to be rude but haven't you asked me enough questions already? I have to save Christine! Who knows what the Phantom is doing to her?"

"Or with her," I added with a giggle.

"I don't even want to think about it!" Raoul exclaimed. "Could you please bring me back to Paris? I can't stand any more waiting!"

I sighed with false annoyance and told Raoul, "Alright, Vicomte Raoul, I'll take you back after you answer one last question for me."

"Are you ser-?"

"How far would you go to save Christine from the Phantom?" I asked him.

Raoul paused for a moment before saying, "Well, at least that's a better question than 'What's my favorite color?'"

I couldn't help but let out a suppressed giggle at his comment. The interview was proving to be hilarious.

Raoul finally came up with his answer to my question and told me, "I would climb over the highest mountains, swim through the deepest oceans, and fight my way through the worst forest fires just to hold Christine again."

I stopped writing and looked at Raoul. His face showed how serious he was and how concerned he was for Christine. For a moment, I actually felt sorry for the desperate theater patron in his quest for Christine. Then I brushed the feeling of pity away and continued with the interview.

"Wow! You would take all of those risks just so you could be with her again?"

Raoul nodded his head. He also told me, "I would even die for her if that secured her safety. I would do just about anything for her."

There was complete silence in the room after that statement. I started to take more notes of Raoul's answers to my questions just to make myself look busy. While doing so I mumbled, "It's fortunate that you won't have to go through everything you said you would do for Christine. However, the challenges up ahead could _kill_ you."

"What?" Raoul inquired.

"Nothing," I replied, "I just want to let you know that I'll send you back after you answer one more-"

"WHAT?!" Raoul exclaimed.

"Just kidding! I'll send you back right now. Follow me to the time machine!"

As I led Raoul back towards the lab I could hear him mutter, "-as if I don't have enough grief already-" I laughed to myself even though I felt sorry for the poor man.

Raoul finally got his wish. He climbed into the machine and I punched in the coordinates. Before too long, I heard the metal doors shut while the machine began to work. About thirty seconds later, the time machine dinged to let me know Raoul had reached his destination.

I sighed contentedly and returned to my desk. Kristen was going through some of _The Phantom_ papers when I approached her.

"May I borrow some of these?" Kristen asked me.

"I guess so. Why?"

"No logical reason. I just want to read the awesome, official manuscript of _The Phantom of the Opera _and enjoy the awesome, official look of the manuscript."

I couldn't help but chuckle at her reasoning. It was just too random. I answered, "Okay," and she left the room with the papers.

I was about to sit down at my desk when I heard the all-too-familiar sound of two doors hissing open. I quickly turned around and rushed into the lab finding Kristen carefully setting The Phantom manuscript down inside the time machine.

Panicking I asked her, "What are you doing? Sending the script to another time period?"

"No," Kristen replied with a grin, "It's my turn to talk to a character. I'm bringing HIM here."

I gasped with anticipation. "You're _not_ talking about Raoul, are you?"

Kristen just shook her head and gave me a mischievous smile. I could tell that things were going to get _very_ interesting…

***

Raoul impatiently waited for the curtain to rise. Staring at the curtain, however, didn't cause the show to start any sooner. He emitted an enormous sigh, hoping that the opera would begin any time now. Raoul hated to admit it, but he was extremely nervous over this entire ordeal.

Raoul stood in box five - a place where he should have felt he was in control since he could see everything. That false sense of security, unfortunately, did not help calm his nerves. In fact, Raoul felt even more helpless because he could not actually do anything to assist the police squadron below him. Despite the amount of uniformed men in the theater, Raoul could not chase away the feeling of doubt that his plan to apprehend the Phantom was not going to work.

Even though this opera performance would be the Phantom's greatest challenge to elude capture, Raoul knew from past experience that he would go to any lengths to get the results he desired. The opera ghost certainly showed his displeasure of the cast in one of the previous operas, "Il Muto". Since Carlotta had the leading role, he somehow caused her voice to croak like a toad. (Although Raoul had to admit that _was_ amusing.) The Phantom not only shamed Carlotta, but also hanged the head stagehand in his fury.

Needless to say, that _monster _would put innocent lives in danger just for his own interests! The devilish opera host had no consideration towards anyone…except Christine.

"Christine…" Raoul said out loud.

"What's that you said?" asked the policeman in his box.

"Nothing," said Raoul, "Just thinking to myself." Raoul sighed, once again, before he turned his head toward the curtain.

Raoul was truly concerned for Christine's safety. The Phantom had a vengeful spirit and was very possessive of Christine. Raoul feared that the Phantom was going to take Christine away from him forever. However, whatever would happen that night, he could not let the Phantom kidnap his love.

Raoul was fuming with rage as he imagined the Phantom abducting Christine. He was so angry that he barely noticed that the lights were finally beginning to dim. It was not until the commanding officer tapped Raoul on the shoulder when his full attention was brought back to the mission at hand.

The constable told Raoul, "Showtime. Just give me the signal when he appears."

Raoul nodded and focused his attention to the rising curtain. The orchestra was already playing the magnificent, eerie overture. Soon the cast would begin to sing the twisted notes of Don Juan's dark story.

And so it began. The early lyrics were practically shrieked at the audience. (They were so high pitched!) Fabric flames danced around the ensemble as they sang of the dark master's plot of revenge.

Ubaldo Piangi, the man who played Don Juan, proclaimed his plot to seduce Christine's character, Aminta. In the scheme, Don Juan would switch identities with his servant Passarino. He would dine with Aminta under the guise of Passarino until the _real_ Passarino would arrive at the manor and declare his return as Don Juan. The pseudo Passarino would then take Aminta to his room to hide from her "master".

While Don Juan and his servant went over the plan, Raoul couldn't help but wryly chuckle at the idiocy of their scheme. Don Juan and Passarino looked nothing alike! What a foolish scheme they had in mind!

Even if Don Juan dressed like his servant and hid his face, it couldn't fool the dimmest person alive! Not only was Don Juan taller than Passarino, his voice was very different from his minion's. The idea that they could fool Aminta was laughable! Aminta must have been very dense to let the scoundrels deceive her! Why else would she have allowed herself to be pulled into their trap?

Ubaldo disappeared behind the backstage curtain just as Christine walked center stage.

"Christine would never fall for a trick like that," Raoul thought to himself, "She would see past-Wait! Christine! The Phantom!"

Immediately, Raoul snapped out of his pensiveness and remembered what his mission was. Where was the blasted opera ghost?

Raoul anxiously stood in his box trying not to do anything hasty. Oh, he wanted to catch the Phantom so badly! The stressed patron felt he was going to pass out from the suspense if the opera ghost didn't appear soon!

Despite his failing nerves, the Vicomte de Chagny was comforted by Christine's smooth, clear voice. Raoul watched his lovely lady as she sat down front stage. He took a deep breath and continued to search for the Phantom. However, he didn't need to search for long.

The actor who played Passarino called, "_Master_."

Then, a voice unlike Ubaldo's softly sang, "_Passarino, go away for the trap is set and waits for its preeey._"

Raoul let out an involuntary gasp. It had to be _him_. That haunting voice was unmistakable. The man who appeared from behind the curtain had to be the Phantom of the Opera.

Raoul immediately turned toward the constable and gave him a curt nod. The officer readied his weapon and gave the signal to his men to do so, as well.

The Phantom began to sing once more so Raoul's attention was averted back to the stage. He could tell, by this point in time that Christine knew who this masked actor was. However, she continued to act out her part very well.

"Keep acting, Christine," Raoul tried to tell her in his mind, "And stay far away from him so we can shoot this devil!"

It seemed almost as if the Phantom were reading Raoul's mind for he continued to walk closer to Christine. All the while, the opera ghost kept singing his dark song. "_Now you_ _are here with me, no second thoughts, you've decided_…" Christine looked up at the Phantom for the first time. "…_Decided_." Christine finally rose off the ground to meet her jealous lover.

After several moments of staring at each other, the Phantom started to sing again. "_Paaast the point of no return, no backward glances; our games of make believe are at an end_."

Even though this was just an opera, Raoul couldn't help but feel uneasy. The Phantom was now circling around Christine like a hawk about to capture its prey. The ghost was gazing at Christine with such a hungry intensity in his eyes, that Raoul wished that somebody would open fire on him. Before Raoul could do anything, the Phantom swiftly rushed at Christine.

Now the Phantom was holding Christine's slender form and stroking the nape of her neck! "_What raging fire shall flood the soul? What rich desire unlocks its door? What sweet seduction lies before us?_"

"The nerve!" Raoul thought to himself, "The man has no decency!"

Finally, the Phantom let go of Christine. She slowly turned away from him and began to sing her part. At that moment, Christine stared at Raoul's box.

The Vicomte came to his senses once again and gave the constable another signal. Raoul's officer summoned another policeman from Firmin and Andre's box. The officer began to take aim at the Phantom when Raoul brought his hand up to discourage his hasty action. Raoul felt the time wasn't right. "Although," Raoul thought, "It won't be long before I give the order."

Christine continued to sing to the Phantom as Raoul turned his head to the stage. "_Now I am here with you, no second thoughts, I've decided, decided_."

Now Raoul had his full attention directed on Christine. "What is she doing?" Raoul asked himself.

Christine paused for a moment before turning away form the Phantom. She started to walk towards the fiery platform in the midst of the grand stage. She sang, "_Paaast the point of no return, no going back now; our passion play has now at last begun_."

"Christine?" Raoul was panicking. Now the Phantom was climbing up the opposite staircase to Christine. She was still singing sweet notes for the Phantom. "_One final question: How long should we two wait before we're one?_"

"Christine, wait! Oh, God! Why won't anyone shoot?" Raoul nervously contemplated in his mind. Yet Christine continued to act out her part.

"_When will the blood begin to race, the sleeping bud burst into bloom? When will the flames at last consume us?_" Christine and the Phantom were now slowly approaching each other on top of the balcony with a fierce determination.

"Christine, can't you see this was what he wanted? It's a trap! He planned this from the beginning!" Then, a horrible thought occurred to Raoul. What if that was what she wanted too?

"What if Aminta knew who Don Juan really was? Maybe she feigned her ignorance of the plot. Maybe, she wanted to be pulled into the dark lord's trap. Maybe the masked man was who she wanted…"

"CHRISTINE!" Raoul's cry was lost within the loud orchestra.

Now Christine was in the Phantom's arms. She looked as though she were at peace. Could it be…?

"_We've passed the point of no return_."

**A/N: Thank you readers who have waited patiently for this chapter. I'm sorry it took so long, but I have been busy with stuff like applying for college and I've had some trouble getting motivated to work on The Point of No Return. (Yep I'm a procrastinator.) I would like to specifically thank kyolova2400 for reading over my initial draft and making some suggestions. I would also like to thank the Faceless for helping me find my drive for this chapter. Once again, thank you readers and hopefully the next chapter won't take so long to write! Please review!**


	4. Plunge into Darkness

Disclaimer & Author's Note: I am sad to say that I still don't own anything from Phantom of the Opera. (I wish I did!) Enjoy the story!

Chasing the Phantom

After our crazy introductions to our masked guest, I left the Phantom alone with Kristen. I could tell that she was in heaven. The Phantom was acting as mysterious as ever and he even sang a couple of songs for us. Oddly enough, he seemed rather comfortable in our apartment. It seemed as though he was _too_ comfortable.

I wondered why he wasn't pressed for time. After all, Raoul was determined to get back to Christine when we brought him here. The Phantom hadn't even mentioned Christine! I figured he would want to return to his Angel of Music, but we wanted to keep him as long as we could. (We didn't say anything to remind him of his obligation.)

Despite the fact that I was having fun with the masked angel, I had a script to change. So I reluctantly returned to my study.

However, I would not have much time to work on the story right then. I had barely brought my pen to paper when a sweet, yet sinister voice whispered into my ear, "What are you writing, my sweet? An opera, perhaps?"

I almost jumped out of my skin. Dang, that Phantom was sneaky! I didn't even hear him come in!

"Uh, yeah, sort of," I replied as nonchalantly as I could. I could tell that the Phantom was _very_ close to me now. "Hey, wait a minute! I thought that you loved Christine!"

"I do," answered the Phantom as he began to twirl my hair between his fingers. "Why? What's your point, lovely?" he whispered into my ear.

"My point exactly!" I thought to myself, "Is he trying to seduce me?"

"Never mind," I told the dark angel. I asked, "Is there anything I can do for you Phantom? It seems as though there's something on your mind."

"Ah, there is something I wish to request. You see, your friend told me a little about your revisions to my story. Kristen and I would like you to…"

As he whispered those last words to me, a smile began to creep up my face.

"Hmm. Intriguing idea! I will deeply consider that. After all, this revision is being made to satisfy the phans. That would definitely fit the bill."

The Phantom let out a satisfied chuckle. "I'm glad that's how my fans see it. I'm happy that's how _you_ see it."

At this point, the mysterious angel had his left arm around my shoulders. His right hand was tenderly stroking my neck. I felt heat rising to my face.

"Uh, I'm flattered, but I know you love Christine. Why-?"

"Oh, come on!" the Phantom interrupted, "I thought your profile said you were such a big fan of me!" Then, he released his arm from my shoulder and took my hands.

"I am, but-but-but I'm also a fan of your entire musical."

Somehow, I was out of my chair. The masked man was still holding my hands, but more firmly as if he had pulled me to my feet. My will was practically vaporizing into thin air.

"How wonderful! I shall sing you a song then!" he proclaimed.

I felt him hold me _very_ close. My face felt like it was being consumed by fire. At least the room was dark so the Phantom couldn't tell. Hold on a minute…

"Why is it dark in here?" I thought to myself, "Uhhh…"

Right on cue, the Angel of Music began to sing, "_Nighttime sharpens, heightens each sensation. Darkness wakes and stirs imagination_."

"Oh, gosh! I love this song! How can I resist?" I contemplated all of this in my head.

"_Silently the senses abandon their defenses_…" the Phantom paused.

"_Helpless to resist the notes_ you _write_." I shakily finished the phrase.

His hand cupped my face. I could feel his breath gently blowing on my cheek. My entire body was really burning up!

"Oh, go-"

"HEY!"

I turned my head. "Huh? Who's yelling?" I thought.

"What are you doing?" the unknown voice asked.

"Uh, nothing," I replied.

"Yet," The Phantom's deep, musical voice was so close I could almost kiss it. Wait…

"WAAAAAH!"

BONK!

"OWWWW!"

Somehow I had fallen backwards and hit my head against something solid. I think it was my desk.

"Good, lord!" the Phantom exclaimed. "Let me help you up, my dear."

"I think I'll be fine, thank you," I told him even though I was starting to feel very dizzy.

"You can't be serious," remarked the dark angel.

"Oh, she'll be fine." The light came on. "She's always been a bit of a klutz and she's had injuries like this before." Kristen entered my study.

I shakily rose to my feet.

"Are you sure that you'll be alright?" our masked savior inquired.

"Yeah, I'll be okay," I lied. "Hey Kristen, why don't you show our guest **the** movie?"

"You mean **his** movie?"

"Of course!"

"Alrighty, then!" Kristen exclaimed with a smile. "Follow me monsieur!"

"I have a movie?" the Phantom asked. "That's delightful!"

The masked man took Kristen's arm as she led him out of the room. As they reached the hallway, I could faintly hear the Phantom ask Kristen, "What's a movie?"

I couldn't help but chuckle at his question. Then my mind traveled to more pressing matters.

My heart was still racing from that exhilarating encounter with the musical angel. The episode put me on edge and made me wonder why he didn't want to go back to the opera house.

"He must be planning something," I thought to myself.

However, I couldn't quite figure out what the Phantom's intensions were. Heck, I didn't even know whether the adrenaline pumping through my veins was caused by fear…or excitement.

***

Raoul stared at the staged couple dumbfounded. Christine had played her part so well that it was hard to distinguish between the opera and reality. By that point, Raoul's eyes were welling with tears. He couldn't help but feel betrayed, seeing his love peacefully within the arms of the masked opera ghost.

"Oh, Christine!" Raoul whispered to himself.

Raoul felt that he couldn't hurt any worse than this. However, he was dead wrong. To add insult to injury, Raoul heard the Phantom begin to sing another song. It was a song Raoul, himself, was all too familiar with.

"_Say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime. Lead me, save me from my solitude._"

Raoul gasped from shock. This was the song he sang to Christine on a snowy night not too long ago.

"_Say you want me with you here beside you_." Finally, the Phantom let go of Christine, but he took her hand instead. "_Anywhere you go let me go, too_." Christine brought her free hand to the Phantom's face. "_Christine, that's all I ask of-_"

Suddenly, in one split second, Christine tore the Phantom's black mask off his head. The audience gasped upon seeing his red, deformed face. The unmasked opera ghost looked furious with Christine. Not only did she reveal his full face, but Christine pulled off a wig, as well, revealing light stringy hair.

Amiss the shock, the Phantom quickly looked around before he set his eyes upon something above the stage: the chandelier.

Before anyone could react, the Phantom cut the cable holding the chandelier. Then, he kicked a lever, grabbed Christine, and together they plunged through a fiery hole on the stage.

The audience immediately became uneasy after Christine and the Phantom disappeared out of sight-for good reason. The chandelier no longer had the cable to hold it in place, harmlessly high above the people. As the remaining cable shot up towards the ceiling, the enormous chandelier swung precariously close to the velvet seats below. With many cries of horror, members of the audience scrambled to get away from the chandelier of doom.

Finally it crashed into the first few rows of seats. Almost immediately, the seats burst into flames creating even more panic.

In box 5, Raoul quickly took action. The fire was spreading rapidly so Raoul looked around for a way to climb down from the box. He noticed the curtain next to box 5 had a rope holding it in place. With no time to lose, he climbed down from the box and began to frantically search for Madame Giry.

Backstage was just as chaotic as the main lobby, making it difficult to find Madame Giry. Fortunately, it was she who found him, practically appearing out of nowhere.

Raoul felt somewhat relieved. At least _one_ thing was going right for him tonight. He asked Madame Giry, "_Where did he take her?_"

Giry replied, "_I will take you to them. But remember: keep your hands at the level of your eyes!_"

Suddenly, Giry's daughter Meg appeared behind them and said, "_I'll come with you_."

Giry told her, "_No, Meg! You stay here!_"

As they both rushed toward the dark passage leading to the Phantom's lair, Madame Giry frantically exclaimed to Raoul, "_Come with me monsieur! Hurry up or we should be too late!_"

A/N: Once again, I would like to thank everyone who's read and/or reviewed Chasing the Phantom so far! I would also like to thank kyolova2400 for reading the initial draft of this chapter as well as last chapter. (You are so great, kyolova!) I know that some of the lines I italicized in this chapter are from the movie, while most of them are from the original musical. (Ah, well!) I'll try to stick with the original script as much as I can! Anyways, thank you everyone and keep reviewing!


	5. Down Once More

**Disclaimer & Author's Note: Once again, I am sad to say that I do not own (and did not create) the story or the musical of the Phantom of the Opera. (Gaston Leroux and Andrew Lloyd Webber are the masterminds behind this beautiful masterpiece!) Remember that the italicized phrases are actual song lyrics from the musical. Enjoy!**

**Chasing the Phantom**

**Daylight was fading when I finally left my study, still pondering over the Phantom's intentions. I had several theories, but each of them was even more unlikely as the one before. So I decided his motives would have to be solved later. After all, it was almost time for dinner. What better way to show our guest some hospitality than a nice dinner?**

**I walked into the kitchen when I heard a peculiar noise. There was a loud crash followed by a stream of expletives being uttered. I wondered who could've caused the crash.**

**"Hmm…I would guess that was Kristen but she and the Phantom are still watching the movie. It could be-" I stopped myself before I rushed to investigate the crash.**

**"Is it another one?" I thought to myself, "Another character? Who would it be this time?"**

**I peeked around the fridge to find…my friend Megan! This was weird. Megan was one of my American friends and she lived in the States. She didn't even tell me she was coming to Britain!**

**"Megan?" I yelled, "What are _you_ doing here?**

**Megan turned away from the mess she made (She had knocked a bunch of pots to the floor.) and gave me a huge grin. Then she rushed at me and pulled me into a strong bear hug.**

**"Hey! I saw your Facebook status and decided I just had to come here!**

**I gasped for air and sputtered, "Wait-what? What Facebook status? The last one I remember posting was on Sunday when we found a stray kitten. Why would you make a quick trip to see the kitty?"**

**"A kitten?" Megan exclaimed, "I wouldn't hurry and fly all this way for a kitten! Air travel is expensive! Speaking of the kitten, where is she? She looked sooo cute in your Facebook pictures!"**

**I sheepishly looked down at the floor before I told Megan, "Uuumm…We kind of lost her a few days ago and we haven't found her since." (Our furry little friend "accidentally" went through the time machine and we weren't able to bring her back.) I hurriedly started to hang the pots back on their hooks to distract Megan.**

**To my surprise, Megan just brushed off my comment. "Oh, well! At least you got to have some fun with the cat. So where's the Phantom?"**

**I dropped the pot that I had just picked up. It fell on top of the others with a loud clang.**

**"OW! Well, that was loud!" Megan cried.**

**"Sorry, Captain Obvious," I apologized, "But how do you know that we have-"**

**"I told you, I saw your Facebook status this afternoon well, this morning when I left the States-"**

**"Wait! I don't remember updating my status today! Are you sure it wasn't Kristen's Facebook status that was updated?"**

**"Nope, I'm pretty sure it was yours. You posted it about ten o' clock in the morning in the U.S."**

**"Weird," I commented, "I'll check that later. Oh, and Megan, how did you get here so fast?"**

**My mystifying friend just shrugged her shoulders and said, "Eh, I caught a plane right after I saw your status this morning."**

**"But you lose time when you travel east-ward! Seriously, how did you get here so fast? Did you fly in an F-22?" I asked my friend.**

**"No," Megan answered, "I flew with Delta Airlines. I guess the plane just flew faster than normal." She paused before she commented, "That might explain why that one old lady was gripping her seat the whole time..."**

**"Oooh-kay?" I just left it at that. Honestly, weird things always tended to happen around Megan and I never understood how they did.**

**I heaved a confused sigh of exasperation. "You know what? Never mind. Today's been crazy and it's been hard to keep my mind on track. Say, do you want to meet _him_?"**

**"Heck yeah!" Megan yelled with glee.**

**"Alright!" I quickly turned and finished hanging up the pots. "He's in the living room with Kristen if you want to-"**

**I turned around. Megan had disappeared! There was no doubt in my mind that she already went to the living room to find the Phantom. I couldn't help but sigh once more.**

**"Honestly, how _does_ she do that?" I asked myself.**

The Phantom angrily dragged Christine down the cold, stone steps of his secret passageway. Christine tried to fight his grip, but her unmasked captor was too strong. She could hear the venom in the Phantom's voice as he sang, "_Down once more through the dungeon of my black despair. Down we plunge to the prison of my mind! Down that path into darkness deep as hell!"_

Then the Phantom quickly turned to face Christine. "_Why, do you ask, was I bound and chained to this cold and dismal place? Not for any mortal sin but the wickedness of my abhorrent face!_"

Christine struggled to free her hands from her captor, but to no avail. The Phantom just held on even tighter. He continued to yell in his rage, _"Hounded out by everyone! Met with hatred everywhere! No kind word from anyone! No compassion anywhere!" _The maddened ghost lowered his voice,_ "Christine, Christine…Why, why…?"_

The Phantom's words of pain and anger felt like daggers stabbing Christine's heart. Ordinarily, the pain and sorrow Christine felt for this pitiful man would have consumed her entire being. However, the Phantom didn't give Christine time to think or feel much-except fear. He quickly pulled the frightened diva down the steps once more.

The stairs continued to spiral downward until the Phantom brought Christine to another chamber. Looking around the room, Christine spotted a huge chasm. It was so deep that Christine couldn't even see the bottom!

The helpless damsel wondered, "How on earth are we going to cross that?"

Her unspoken question was immediately answered. Christine's kidnapper had just lit a couple of torches revealing a rope that hung from the ceiling. The lower end of the rope was tied to a hook on their side of the chasm.

"Oh!" Christine exclaimed.

The Phantom unraveled the rope and removed it from the hook before giving Christine a wicked grin.

"Come with me, my sweet. Together we will leave a passage of doom and despair for your lover!"

Taking Christine in one arm, the opera ghost held tight to the rope with the other arm. He kissed Christine's forehead and leaped into the darkness.

Christine gave a cry of surprise as her feet left the ground. All at once, the diva felt wind rushing around her. She looked downward to see the pitch-black chasm below. The sudden darkness seemed to suck the remaining courage Christine had left. Christine screamed at the top of her lungs. The Phantom just laughed at her screams and held her even tighter.

"Don't worry, my love!" the Phantom shouted with glee, "I won't let you fall! Exhilarating isn't it? It's almost as if you are flying!"

Christine still continued to scream, so she couldn't answer the crazed Phantom.

It had seemed like hours to Christine when they finally crossed the chasm. The shaking soprano fell to her knees as she tried to contain herself.

"Christine," beckoned the Phantom.

Christine looked up to see the hand that had just held her. It was the same hand that helped the Phantom climb opera sets, play his organ and write music. It was also the same hand that fought and even killed men. Realizing all of this, Christine couldn't help but shudder and cast her eyes to the floor.

"How can a hand create so much good and yet destroy so much as well?" Christine pondered to herself.

The Phantom spoke again. "Christine, I'm sorry. It had to be done."

He continued to hold out his hand to his love, hoping that she would take it. However, Christine just looked into his eyes and asked him, "What had to be done? Switching places with Piangi? Destroying the chandelier? Taking me-"

"Enough!" cried the Phantom. With a quick flick of the wrist, he struck Christine's beautiful face.

Christine held her burning cheek. Before she could get a hold of herself, Christine burst into tears. She couldn't bear this soul wrenching pain any longer.

"A-Angel of Music why must you do all this?" Christine continued to shed the many tears that had been building up in her heart throughout this affair.

As Christine sat there weeping, the Phantom gazed upon his Angel of Music feeling pity in his heart. He brought his hands to his face and quietly whispered, "Damn it! Am I truly a monster to hurt my Christine?"

Soberly, the estranged opera ghost took a small knife out of his pants pocket.

"I am truly sorry," the Phantom said as he brought the knife level with his eyes.

Christine gasped.

In one quick slash, the Phantom cut the rope that they used to cross the chasm. The remainder of what was left swung away from the opera ghost; flying towards the center of the dark pit. Looking at the shortened rope, the Phantom thought to himself, "The Vicomte won't be able to reach that."

Then the Phantom turned around and helped Christine to her feet. He began to gently guide his saddened Angel of Music to the next passageway.

"Don't worry, my love," the Phantom tried to console Christine, "We will soon be home."

**A/N: I would like to thank everyone who has read the story so far (and especially those who've kept up with it)! I'm sorry that I take so long between chapters to write them and I appreciate everyone who's waited patiently (or just waited) for me to continue. This past year of school has been crazy and I didn't have much time to write due to working on scholarships, worrying about college, and doing schoolwork in general. I hope to post at least 2 more chapters by the end of the summer to make up for lost time. I would also like to specially thank those people who have reviewed Chasing the Phantom. Feedback helps a lot even if it's just saying something like "I love the story!" I also accept constructive criticism and I hope to see more reviews with it in the future. (Just don't bash the story!) Well, that's all the time I have for today. Stay tuned for more and please keep reviewing!**


	6. Leap of Faith

**Disclaimer & Author's Note: I do not own Phantom of the Opera or anything else that was created by Gaston Leroux or Andrew Lloyd Webber. That includes the lyrics that I have italicized in this story. I've also decided to bold the story _within_ the story so it's easier to tell when it ends and the main story begins. Enjoy!**

**Chasing the Phantom**

**I entered the living room to find Megan squeezing the breath out of our masked guest.**

**"Oh, my god! You are soooo hot! I love your voice and-I really love your arms…"**

**As Megan began to stroke the Phantom's left arm, he shot a questioning glance at Kristen and me. Kristen told him, "This is our friend Megan. She's from the United States and is a very big phan girl, as you can see." Kristen then asked me, "When did she get here?"**

**"Just a few minutes ago," I answered, "She was _very_ eager to meet the Phantom. That's why she came here in the first place."**

**"Well, I'm flattered," the Phantom said, "But could you please let me go for a minute, Megan? I'm having trouble breathing."**

**"Oh, sorry!" Megan apologized as she detached herself from the Phantom. "I'm just so excited that you're here! Say, I was wondering if I could-I mean-we could…" Megan whispered the rest of her request into the Phantom's ear.**

**The Phantom told Megan, "I can't hear what you're saying. Would you say it louder?"**

**Megan had started to say something before she froze. Her eyes rolled back and closed as she leaned backwards. The Phantom and Kristen lunged for Megan but were too late in preventing her from hitting the floor.**

**"What happened to her?" Kristen asked."**

**"I think she had a nosebleed," I said.**

**"How can you tell?"**

**I pointed at the red ooze trickling from Megan's nose.**

**"Oh!" Kristen exclaimed, "I see! Well, I think I need to start dinner. Can you two take care of her?"**

**"Uh-"**

**"Okay! I'm gonna start cooking spaghetti. Thanks guys!" Kristen left the living room.**

**The Phantom and I just looked at each other for about a minute. "She didn't even give us a chance to respond," the Phantom said.**

**"I know, right?" I answered him, "I guess we can help make Megan comfortable though. I'll grab a blanket. Can you grab a couple of pillows from the couch?"**

**"Alright. What should I do with them?" the Phantom asked me.**

**"Just put one under Megan's head and use the other one to prop her legs up," I told him.**

**"As you wish, Mademoiselle," the masked angel said.**

**"Wow!" I thought to myself, "He's being very polite considering the person who he's helping practically squeezed the breath out of him!"**

**I left the room and came back with a blanket. The Phantom had already placed the two pillows where I asked him to and he just sat on the floor.**

**"Is there anything else you need me to do?" the Phantom asked.**

**"Nope, I think that's it," I replied as I laid the blanket over Megan.**

**At that point, I had to ask the masked angel a question that had been bugging me that day. "Why are you being really nice to me? I'm glad you're in a good mood, but me and Kristen took you away from your opera house and Christine. Aren't you worried about Christine and about Raoul finding her?"**

**"I'm not that worried. Not while you're here," the Phantom replied.**

**"Huh?" I asked, blushing slightly, "What do_ I_ have to do with the situation at hand?"**

**"Well, you're beautifully rewriting my story to the advantage of the Phaaaantom of the Opera!" he sang at the end. "I hold my trust in you that this fiasco will turn out alright. I want to thank you." Then the mysterious masked man leaned in and gave me a kiss on the cheek.**

**All was quiet for about a minute. I was still blushing when I said, "Well, Megan will be jealous."**

**"Huh? Did someone say my name?" Megan asked waking up from her nosebleed induced sleep.**

**"That was a quick recovery," I muttered. I told Megan, "I just told our masked guest how you'll be jealous that he kissed me."**

**"What?" Megan exclaimed, "You guys kissed? Well, if you two are doing stuff then I might as well go back to sleep!"**

**"Megan it's not like that!" I cried. However, Megan had already passed out on the couch. I couldn't help but sigh.**

**"You have a rather…" the Phantom paused a moment, "…eccentric friend. Does she think that way all the time?"**

**"More or less," I answered him, "Though, I think she knows me well enough that I wouldn't go that far."**

**The Phantom chuckled and before I knew it, he was holding me by my left shoulder and lower back. I stared into his mischievous eyes.**

**"Do you want to go _that far_?" the seductive Phantom asked me. He had such a wicked grin on his face that I wouldn't have doubted he would have done it.**

**"No," I answered promptly. My voice squeaked an octave higher than normal.**

**"Ha ha ha! That's fine with me Mademoiselle. I won't force you into anything you don't want."**

**Then the Phantom stood up. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to check on Kristen. I wonder how she's coming along with dinner."**

**The masked angel left the living room and all was quiet…except for the intense pounding of my ecstatic heart.**

Raoul panted as he raced down the cold, dank passageway. He heard Christine scream and that prompted him to run even faster.

"What is he doing to her?" Raoul asked himself.

Madame Giry had brought Raoul to the passage leading to the Phantom's lair, but she wouldn't go with him. The Vicomte had expected just as much. He knew how much Madame Giry cared for the Phantom; it probably pained her to just help track him down.

However, Madame Giry loved Christine, as well. Christine was practically her daughter and of course Madame Giry would do anything to help keep her safe-as would Raoul.

"Christine!" the frantic patron cried, "I'm coming!"

As Raoul hurriedly ran down the hard, stone steps he couldn't help but think of Christine's role in Don Juan. The last song that Christine performed had truly shaken him. For a minute, Raoul had believed that the love of his life was perfectly happy in the arms of the mysterious opera ghost. Once Christine pulled off the Phantom's mask, however, it appeared that everything was just part of the act.

"Of course Christine was acting her part," Raoul thought to himself, "Although she didn't seem to act as passionate when Piangi was Don Juan than when the Phantom-"

Raoul stopped in his tracks. Then he pushed his last thought away and kept running.

Eventually, Raoul reached the bottom of the staircase. He was quick to discover this wasn't the end of the line, however. The torch-lit chamber Raoul was in had a great chasm practically filling the entire room with dark emptiness.

The alarmed theater patron took a deep breath. He looked around the immense room trying to find something-anything-to get him across. Raoul paced up and down the edge of the pit, felt the walls on his side of the room and swept his gaze to every nook and cranny he could find.

Raoul sighed. He couldn't find any way to get across the monstrous pit. There were no hidden doors, secret passageways or even a grappling hook. There was nothing except the torches…and a rope hanging from the ceiling.

This rope was hanging right over the middle of the vast chasm. The stressed Vicomte gulped. His only hope to cross was to jump and grab the rope. After doing so, Raoul could use his momentum to swing across to the other side.

Unfortunately, it was a long way for Raoul to jump to even reach the rope. There had to be at least four or five yards between him and his one glimmer of hope. Still, Raoul had no other choice if he wanted to rescue Christine.

The estranged lover sighed once more. He backed up to the entrance of the chamber. Raoul sang, "_Christine I love you_." Then, the Vicomte took another deep breath and began to run.

Raoul jogged at first but quickly gained speed. When Raoul was sure he could run no faster, he had reached the edge of the gorge. Raoul bent his legs and vaulted into the darkness.

Raoul soared over the chasm reaching for the dangling rope. He flew closer and closer to his one and only hope. His fingers were almost touching it when Raoul felt the natural tug of gravity start to pull him down. Unfortunately, it wasn't too long before the Vicomte felt the end of the rope slip between his fingers.

Helplessness overcame Raoul as he fell. He couldn't stop himself from falling no matter how hard he tried. He wouldn't be able to save Christine if he couldn't save himself.

"NO!" Raoul cried out in desperation. "CHRISTINE!" Raoul continued to fall down, down into eternal darkness.

**A/N: Once again, thank you to everyone who's read and/or reviewed Chasing the Phantom! College is coming up fast so I unfortunately won't be able to post another chapter before summer vacation's over. I will continue to work on this story even during school but I have no idea when I'm going to post the next chapter. (Ah, well!) However, you may look forward to seeing Christine and the Phantom next time! Don't forget to leave a review! (Or more…)**


	7. Sorrows of Fate

Disclaimer & Author's Note: Once again, I have to tell you the sad misfortune that I do not own the Phantom or his musical. *Sigh*

**Chasing the Phantom**

The dinner Kristen and I prepared for the Phantom and Megan was a strange combination. We cooked spaghetti and meatballs, but we served it with barbeque flavored potato chips and some plums that we pulled out of the fridge. All the same, the food tasted good and everyone seemed to enjoy dinner. (We girls loved hearing our beloved Phantom sing while I think the Phantom loved the attention he was getting from us.)

Besides the fact that the Phantom and Megan had popped into our home without much warning, they were gracious guests. The Phantom actually helped Kristin and I wash dishes while Megan cooked flan for all of us. While we ate our flan, Kristen and Megan had a ferocious argument about who was going to have personal time with the Phantom first.

"I haven't had much time to be with him yet!" Kristen complained, "I've cooked and cleaned so that took up most of the time he's been here!"

"But don't forget, Kristen," I added, "You got to show him his movie before Megan showed up."

"Yeah!" Megan agreed, "You two were looking pretty cozy on the couch when I walked in."

"That only lasted 'bout half an hour though. Technically, I wouldn't even count it as being personal time with him! Then Megan started hoggin' Erik-!"

"That's because I had flown halfway around the world to see our handsome Phantom. I paid a lot of money too!"

"But that can't compare to actually building the machine that brought him here! You can't even imagine the hours I spent slaving away-"

"Don't you mean the hours **we** spent slaving away, Kristen? I'd like to have a little credit for the time machine too," I cut into her rant.

"Hello!" Megan cried, "I've spent a long day traveling all the way over her just so I could see Erik! I should get some alone time with him!"

"Ladies, ladies!" the Phantom quieted our bickering. "I'm flattered by all of your efforts to meet me in person. You'll all have time to spend with me and get to know me on a _personal level_."

All of us girls giggled at his statement. After our laughter died down Megan asked, "But who's going first? Can I see you first?" Since she was sitting on Erik's right at the table, Megan started stroking his arm and gazed at him with pleading eyes.

The Phantom replied, "Actually, I think we should let our talented writer go first. She's been busy re-writing the manuscript, helped build the time machine **and** has also helped make us feel at home. Wouldn't you agree, Megan?"

"Well, I guess so," Megan sighed in defeat. "But-"

"Actually, I don't care if she goes first or Kristen," I told the Phantom, "I really need to finish writing the changes to the script. I would also like to have your approval of it before you leave."

The Phantom paused a moment to think before saying, "Alright, Megan can come with me first. Then Kristen will come and then you."

"Yay!" Megan cried out in joy. She jumped out of her seat in triumph and grabbed the Phantom's hand.

"Lets use 'our talented writer's' room. Is that okay with you?" Megan asked me.

"Well-"

"Thanks! I promise if things get too crazy then I'll wash your bed sheets for you!"

Megan then dragged the Phantom out of his own seat and out of the room.

Kristen and I exchanged glances before she said, "Better you than me. Though I wish I could've gotten time with Erik right away." A moment after she grumbled, however, Kristen asked, "Now why didn't you want to go first? You're practically done editing the libretto. Why don't you take a break?"

"It seems like he's flirting with me more than you guys. I think he's buttering me up for some kind of favor. I don't know what he'd want though."

"Well, I think he just wants to make sure his story ends with a happy ending this time. You shouldn't worry about it," Kristen tried to reassure me.

"Ohh-kay," I said. Despite Kristen's advice, however, I still felt anxious about the Phantom's behavior. I wondered if that was what he was really up to.

* * *

The gondola approached the candle lit cavern that the Phantom called his home. Just looking upon his lovely shrine sent a tremor of relief through the Phantom.

However, the un-masked man didn't have much time to relax. Christine was still weeping from the time they crossed the gorge so the Phantom couldn't be happy until his angel of music was. He tried his best to console Christine as he pushed his boat closer to shore.

"There, there my sweet," he spoke softly, "We're home."

Unfortunately, Christine only continued to sob as the sleek boat pulled up to the dock. The Phantom sighed as he secured his gondola to the dock. Once this had been done, he turned back to his love. The opera ghost offered Christine his hand.

"Please," the Phantom begged his distraught diva, "I want you to be happy. I want **us** to be happy-away from the rest of the world. Away from the cruel world that won't accept a devilish face," the Phantom ended his statement with an air of disgust.

"But you never gave it a chance," Christine almost whispered.

"What?"

"I said you never gave the world a chance to accept you," Christine answered him.

"I never gave it a chance?" the Phantom asked Christine, tension rising in his voice. "_I_ didn't give the world a chance?" He emitted a dark chuckle. "I think it's the other way around. This damn, god-forsaken world never gave ME a chance!"

Christine flinched at the Phantom's loud outburst.

"From the moment I was born, the world turned its back on me! My parents cast me into the cold almost immediately because they didn't even love me! Even when I found people who would 'willingly' take care of me I was still despised. The torture didn't stop until I escaped the whip in the circus and came here."

The Phantom paused to take a breath before asking Christine, "Can you even imagine what I've lived through? I had no hope or real home until Madame Giry brought me here!"

"I know how it feels to lose your parents…"

"No you don't!" the Phantom exclaimed, "At least your parents loved you before they died! Mine were frightened of my hideous looks and just cast me out-!"

"…and finding my only hope in the theater!" Christine bellowed over her captor with a sob.

The Phantom became silent for a moment. He heaved a great sigh before he said, "Alright, I admit that we share that faint glimmer of hope that could only come from the opera house."

The man with his disfigured face wearily offered his hand to Christine once more.

"Please," the Phantom pleaded with Christine again, "Won't you take it?"

Christine turned her gaze upward into the Phantom's eyes. She told him, "Alright. I will take your helping hand at least."

The Phantom heaved an internal sigh of relief as Christine took his hand and he hoisted her onto the dock.

As the diva's feet came into contact with the wood, she tripped and fell onto her captor. For one brief moment, the Phantom held shaking Christine in his arms. He longed to stay in that embrace forever, but Christine quickly regained her balance. She pushed herself away from his strong embrace.

The distraught diva awkwardly stepped off the dock and onto the stone floor. The Phantom smoothly leaped off the wooden dock and followed his love. He quickly wrapped his arms around Christine's slender form before she walked any farther from him. "Now, my dear, we are free to sing, compose, in fact, do whatever we please. Together we will write and perform magnificent operas. Everyone in Paris will come flocking to our opera house to see our shows filled with grandeur and originality. You'll see-"

"No."

"What? I beg your pardon?"

"No, I can't stay here," Christine answered with reproach. She pushed herself out of his embrace once more and started to run for the water.

"My-my dear!" the Phantom pleaded with Christine as he moved to block her, "I've worked to build and furnish a home amongst the gloom for years! It has all of our necessities. Even an organ for music! If you so desire, I can-"

"It's more than just this place, although this cave is dark enough anyways. I mean that I can't stay with you."

The Phantom stopped trying to block Christine's escape for a moment. He stared at her dumbfounded.

"Christine, why is this so? Why do you not want to be with me?" The man snarled with fury, "After all I've done for you?"

The furious Phantom quickly lunged for Christine. The frightened diva screamed and jumped to evade the Phantom's grasp.

"I've watched over you ever since you first came to the opera house!" The Phantom ran after the terrified Christine. "I helped you develop your voice!" Christine dodged around candles and mirrors. "I even wrote and opera for you and I to perform together!"

The two of them came head to head on the edge of the lake again. Christine finally answered the furious man as she tried to back away from him, "True, you did all these things for me. Only after you killed Buque, however, that I realized how possessive you were acting over me. Being practically alone, you were yearning for my company and song and so you tried to win my love. But your heart is so disfigured, like your face, that I don't believe you would know true love even if it-!"

At that moment, the Phantom finally caught Christine by the arm. The frantic diva struggled to get away from the angry Phantom but he just held onto her even tighter.

"I love you Christine! You see that everything I do is a token of my love for you. I'm trying to show my affections for you! WHY WON'T YOU LOVE ME BACK?"

"Well, maybe I would love you if you weren't SUCH A MONSTER!"

At her outburst, the Phantom suddenly let go of Christine. Christine fell into the lake with a splash.

"Damn!" the Phantom swore. He jumped in after her.

By the time the Phantom had pulled her out of the water, they were both soaked head to toe. Christine shivered in her captor/rescuer's arms as he carried her to shore.

The drenched Phantom gently set the wet and shaking diva on the floor. He kneeled close to her and asked, "Do I frighten you that much?"

She nodded her head.

The Phantom wrapped his arms around his sobbing angel of music and whispered, "I'm sorry. Will you ever forgive me? I didn't realize I hurt you so much."

The distraught opera ghost couldn't say any more after that. With Christine in his arms, the Phantom broke down and wept.

A/N: Thank you to everyone who's stuck with me this long. Whether I know you personally or you just like to read my story, I would like to thank you for being patient with this fanfic and I promise you that Chapter 8 will be out in a couple weeks at the most! (I actually wrote Chapter 8 before I wrote this chapter. xD) I'm sorry that I've kept you waiting this long and I hope you continue to read and review! Until next time…

Fan of the Phantom is signing off!


	8. Eternal Darkness

Disclaimer & Author's note: While I have created this story for your entertainment, I have in no way influenced the creation or marketing of the original book, musical, or movie of Phantom of the Opera (2 of which were written before I was even born!). That being said, I hope you still enjoy the story and really I'm sorry there is no mini-story with this chapter. Read on!

**Chasing the Phantom**

When Raoul woke up, he was in a daze. He couldn't tell whether he was alive or dead for he was surrounded by darkness. The Vicomte moved his arm, but he couldn't see his own hand!

"Why is it so dark here?" Raoul asked out loud, "Am I in hell?"

Raoul felt the area around him. The ground was surprisingly soft. It felt as though he was sitting on dirt.

"Hmmm, that's odd," Raoul remarked, "I feel a little sore after that fall, but-Wait!" the shaken Vicomte paused a moment. "I fell! So that means…" Raoul turned his head straight upward. There was light in the chamber above, seemingly distant but still a welcome sight.

"It must be light from the torches," Raoul thought to himself, "I'm still alive! If I hurry, I can rescue Christine from that filthy Phantom! But first, how do I get out of here?"

Unfortunately, Raoul was not given much time to think about the matter. At that moment, a monstrous creaking and groaning echoed throughout the entire chamber. Whatever caused the noise was persistent and gradually became louder.

Raoul tried peering through the suffocating darkness without success to find out where the noise was coming from. The frightened theater patron turned his gaze upward toward the light filled chamber. To his horror, the amount of light shining into the pit was shrinking! If he didn't act soon, Raoul was going to be trapped in the eternal darkness.

"NO!" Raoul exclaimed. A moment later, he started to sprint toward the nearest wall of the pit. Raoul was thinking desperately, "If I can find some stones sticking out of the wall I can maybe climb out of this hole."

Finally, Raoul reached one of the approaching walls. He felt along its side, but the wall was perfectly smooth. To add to the Vicomte's troubles, he could feel himself being pushed backward. The wall itself was moving. He was going to be crushed!

Raoul beat his hand on the smooth surface of the wall again and again. "Damn it!" Raoul cursed, "Damn it all to hell! Why does fate have to be so cruel?"

The enraged Vicomte continued to pound the wall futilely, his frustration ever growing. When Raoul hit the smooth surface for the umpteenth time, his hand exploded into a burning pain. He clutched his aching hand feeling blood oozing through his fingers.

"Oh…" Raoul uttered the foulest curse he could think of while pulling out his handkerchief. He quickly wrapped it around his bloodied hand.

Out of nowhere, Raoul felt a sharp jab on his shoulder. The bruised and bloody patron screamed, "WHAT THE HELL? WHAT IS THIS?" He angrily kicked at the abominable wall; now his foot burst into pain.

"OW! WHAT'S STABBING ME? I CAN'T ESCAPE THIS HELLHOLE AND NOW-Wait!" Raoul temporarily pushed his growing pain to the back of his mind.

"If something sharp is stabbing me then…" Raoul carefully reached his hands out to feel the wall. Sure enough, the Vicomte could feel the points of several pointed spikes inching their way towards him.

The stressed patron realized what he had to do. He carefully held onto the smooth rounded edge of one of the sharp cones. Raoul also brought his right foot on one of the lower spikes. Before he knew it, Raoul began to climb.

Of course the Vicomte still had a difficult time pulling himself up. He had to feel his way through the dark and was constantly being poked and prodded by surrounding spikes. Nevertheless, Raoul was climbing upward.

As Raoul pulled himself even higher up the moving pointed wall, he noticed he could faintly see his surroundings. Raoul climbed even higher until everything around him was bathed in torchlight. The Vicomte sighed with relief.

"Glorious light!" The theater patron took in his bright surroundings with glee. He could see the ceiling, the cursed rope and the opposite spiked wall. Raoul could see that the two pit walls were steadily approaching each other and they were less than twenty-five feet away.

"Dear, God!" Raoul exclaimed. He immediately started scrambling up the spikes desperate to get out. Now that Raoul could see everything he moved with a much greater speed than before. However, the sharp points continued to stab him, tearing at his clothes as well as his skin.

Raoul was about three feet away from the top when he felt like he was being pulled back. He couldn't climb any higher. "What the-?" Raoul muttered as he looked down over his shoulder. A large piece of his coat was deeply snagged on two spikes.

"Damn it!" Raoul swore, "Why do these things keep happening to me?"

Raoul tugged at his coat tail as hard as he could, but it remained stuck. Trying to find a way out of his predicament, Raoul ended up looking at the approaching spike covered wall.

The noise coming from the groaning walls was deafening. At this point, only four men could've fit in the space between Raoul and the other wall. The thoroughly scared and aggravated Vicomte swore again and began to take off his coat with his right arm while holding onto a spike with his left hand.

Thankfully so, most of the coat's buttons had already been torn off during Raoul's climb. Raoul only had to unhook one button before getting his arms out of the coat. The arms proved to be a more difficult challenge, however. So Raoul held onto the spike with one hand and he literally was removing his coat single-handedly.

Sweat ran down the theater patron's face as he struggled to remove his coat and hold onto his pointed projectile. All the while, the spiked walls loomed ever so closely to each other. Raoul managed to ease his right arm out of the coat sleeve. He became even more desperate seeing the opposite wall inch its way toward him with less than five feet to go. Raoul decided to keep climbing.

The Vicomte used his right arm to hoist himself up to another spike. As he did this, Raoul angled his left arm downward so that he was turning the coat sleeve inside-out. He continued to slowly pull himself up until his arm was finally free.

Raoul sighed internally with relief while scrambling toward the top of the pit. The desperate Vicomte frantically scaled up the remaining wall. He didn't even notice that the spikes were stabbing him and tearing at his clothes even more than before. All that Raoul cared about was getting out of the deadly chasm alive.

With barely any room to squeeze between the walls, Raoul heaved himself over the top spikes. The Vicomte de Chagney fell onto the metal floor just as the cursed walls collided. For a minute, he just laid there panting from exhaustion.

Despite the fact that Raoul was worse for wear he felt a smile creep up his face. The smile was immediately followed by a raspy laugh. Sure, he was bleeding, exhausted and his best suit was torn in many places, but he was still alive.

Raoul continued to laugh, feeling an elated sense of victory from his escape. The theater patron couldn't relax for long though. That moment he heard another metallic groan coming from somewhere in the chamber.

Raoul stopped laughing. He pushed himself up quicker than a tired and injured man normally would and started to run. Raoul ran out of the dreaded room as fast as he could just in case the Phantom had installed a backup plan.

A/N: Sorry that took a little longer than was expected to get this chapter up! I just finished an online class a couple of weeks ago and we had several group projects within the last half of the summer semester. I hope that whether you love Raoul or hate him (which seems to be the majority of "phans" on Fanfiction) you have enjoyed this chapter. xD


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